03 Solar Flare - Spark Series Read Online Free

“You could
take it to a shop.”
    “I could.” She shrugged one shoulder. Her
father had frowned on paying someone else to do something you could
do just as easily. She looked on the chore as a form of
discipline…one she put off as often as possible.
    “Some night this week, then. I’ll call you.”
He straightened up and closed the door.
    She watched him walk back into the station,
but didn’t immediately drive off. The idea of him stopping by on a
weeknight to do something for her was unsettling. It smacked of
friendship, intimacy.
    She frowned and decided to avoid him as he
worked. Sure, it would be inhospitable, but he really was paying
her back. A little more relaxed, she pulled out of her parking
space and headed home. She had things to see to.
    When her conscience later pestered her about
the vintner, she put it off. Maybe she’d mention it to Azor
sometime. Later.
     
    She’d barely walked through the door to the
back hall when a two-legged missile assaulted her. She grunted as
her five-year-old nephew, Kaden, crashed into her knees and flung
his arms around her. He was closely followed by his twin, Baden,
who looked mad as an accountant with a short till. It took
considerable effort to hold Baden off as he windmilled his fists at
his brother. Knowing Kaden, he deserved whatever came his way, but
Brandy objected to having them fight in the middle of her.
    She growled when one of them kicked her and
yelped as Baden used his teeth. Cursing, she yanked him off her
thigh and gave him a good shake. “What the blazes is wrong with
you?” she demanded. She checked her leg, sure she could feel blood
trickling from the bite. Leave it to her sister to produce a
vampire.
    “He stole my Meta-toy!” Baden screeched, not
at all repentant. He was nearly hysterical. “He broke it!”
    “Which is it? Did he steal it or break it?”
she demanded, keeping a firm grip on their collars.
    “Both!” Baden’s chest heaved as he tried to
launch at his brother.
    “That’s a lie!” Kaden protested furiously. He
looked up at his aunt and tried a wide-eyed, innocent look. The
picture of blue-eyed innocence was spoiled by the horns under his
halo.
    She looked down at him, inured to his ploy by
countless hours of babysitting. These two had emerged from their
mother’s womb spitting and snarling. “I can’t believe your father
used to be a cop,” she muttered, and then brightened. “What a
lovely idea! Come on.” Still gripping them tightly, she turned and
headed for the door. “We’re going to go see Uncle Azor.” He wasn’t
really related to them, but Azor had been their father’s friend
long enough to earn the honorific. He could also be a forbidding
figure when they were up to mischief, with a way of looking at them
that instantly calmed them down. She might not like him, but he
made a good threat.
    “Why?” Kaden demanded, sounding as imperious
as his father. “What’s he going to do to us?”
    Brandy smiled wickedly. “He’s going to toss
you in jail and feed the key to a lizard. I just saw him at work.
He was putting murderers in a cell. I’ll tell him to use that
one.”
    “He won’t!” Baden said belligerently, but he
sounded the tiniest bit unsure.
    She nodded and tried to open the door without
letting her prisoners go. It was tricky. “He’d love to. Your
parents won’t mind. They’ll probably enjoy the quiet.” She got the
door open, but lost her grip on Baden and had to lunge for him
while keeping the door propped open with her foot. In the face of
their common enemy, the boys attacked her, kicking and hitting with
twin fury. She growled and tucked Kaden under one arm, then grabbed
Baden’s wrist. The boys took a death grip on the doorframe. They
struggled in the doorway, none of them willing to give up.
    “Is this a private wrestling match, or can I
sell tickets?” an amused male voice drawled.
    The three in the door abruptly stopped
struggling. Brandy turned, dropping Kaden to his